Another Mountain

After years of living away from home and in different countries, someone very dear to me, just shy of turning forty, decided to pack up twenty two years of the life she’d made abroad, and return home. Physically this couldn’t have been an easy task but spiritually, through much prayer and contemplation, she was prepared. And so, she journeyed the several thousand kilometers to uncertainty, remaining confident that God has her back.

How many of you at the age of forty or older, established in your job, and comfortable in your own home, would be willing to pack it all up and venture into unsure territory, in a totally new direction? For some reason her story made me think of the Bible’s Caleb, who at eighty five years old chose to climb a mountain. You see, it appears as though that’s exactly what she has also chosen to do, and at first glance, this may seem like a bad thing, an against the odds kind of journey, but take a good look and perhaps you will see something else emerge. 

We always remember what Jesus said about removing the mountain because it’s a well discussed verse but the Bible does talk about other mountains. Mountains where the Lord met with His chosen ones. Places that were spiritually charged with God’s presence and the movement of the Holy Spirit. For example, Mount Sinai is where Moses first met God and twice after that, for forty days and forty nights. Moses also climbed another mountain in order that he should espy the Promised Land. 

David’s mountain was Mount Zion, there he lived and talked with God. And what about Jesus? Jesus spent a great deal of time on the mountain in fellowship with God. It was up a mountain that He led His followers to deliver the Beatitudes, and it was where He multiplied the loaves and the fish. Jesus’ transfiguration took place on yet another mountain.

Mountains aren’t always symbols of opposition, there is another mountain where we can have a supernatural encounter with God – Father, Son and Spirit. It was upon a mountain that Moses received God’s Word, and where Jesus received supernatural empowerment. Mountains often represent places of great spiritual breakthroughs.

So yes, Caleb did indeed ask for a mountain where he would come face to face with sure opposition but there is another mountain, one where God awaits your arrival, to bless you and empower you…the holy mountain of God. 

Amen†

Another Mountain    Shelley Johnson 12-Sep-2016

Remain in an Attitude of Gratitude

At the end of August I invited you to join me in an experiment where our aim is to give thanks for a period of ninety days. Two weeks in, I trust that you’ve remembered to remain in an attitude of gratitude. If not, that’s okay…please do not beat yourself up, simply jump back into thankfulness mode and move forward.

Allow me to share with you what’s happened with me over these past two weeks. I started purposely giving thanks the very day of that blog post, “The Gratitude Experiment”, and later that day I became aware that I was feeling different – a definite change had taken place. After a quizzical moment or two, it dawned on me that I was actually in a much better mood than I’d been before I started the gratitude experiment. “Wow…”, I thought with a smile, “…this feels good, kind of light, as if something’s lifting off of me.” And with that, my smile broadened to one of those awkward toothy grins, which automatically seem to manifest upon your unsuspecting face when you realize that you’ve made a new discovery.

There was no stopping me now! 

God knew what was headed my way. Not a day later, I was faced with a challenge. Without burdening you with too many details, the fact of the matter was that I’d made a small down payment on a piece of equipment that I desperately required, in anticipation of receiving a cheque for work done a month before, only to find out that there was a “problem” with the cheque, so I’d have to keep calling to see when it would be ready. 

The balance I owed was due the following day, but the amount I was owed, was nowhere in sight. What a dilemma!

Feeling a lot defeated, I made the decision to remain in an attitude of gratitude. Immediately I began thanking God for working all things together for my good and His glory, for being my strength, for providing for me in every area of my life, for the lessons to be learnt in this situation, for being the only Source of all that I need, for this and for that. I just went full throttle into thanking Him. 

Any thoughts of defeat soon dissipated and I knew that no matter what, God is still in control. The next day was the day that I was required to pay off for the equipment. I called back to enquire about the cheque and was told that it was ready for me to collect. However, when I got there, I was then told that due to “cash flow problems” they could pay only a portion of the amount. “Thank you” was my response, as I took the envelope from a young woman with an apologetic look upon her face. 

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26 (NIV)

I may have received only a quarter portion from man but God is my full portion forever – in Him is everything that I ever need. I peered into the envelope and I thanked God for the little that I could see and the more than enough that I could not see.

To cut an already long story short, I paid for the equipment, the balance due in full on the day that it was due. God, through an unexpected way, made it possible.

Under the aforementioned circumstances, it would have been really easy for me to dwell on the lack that was before me, on what was said to me, on the deadline to pay the balance due, on what appeared to be sure defeat, on the brokenness in spirit…so many things were available for me to latch on to. I could have begun a serious complaining and murmuring session, with intermittent bawling, but I remained in an attitude of gratitude, being thankful in this circumstance, and God worked it out. 

Remain grateful despite what you may be feeling, thinking, seeing and hearing. Do not place any confidence in your natural senses, you know the truth, so stay in the will of God and keep on giving thanks. To know God’s will but not do it, is more tragic than if you never knew His will to begin with (see John 6:38 & 2 Pet. 2:21).

Amen†

Remain in an Attitude of Gratitude    Shelley Johnson 10-Sep-16

Mind Your Own Business

Apostle Paul’s calling was the conversion of the Gentiles. He was commissioned by God to teach the Gentiles how to live a holy life by walking in love. From his various letters to Gentile believers, today you have the opportunity to learn the same things that Paul taught them. His writings demonstrate how you are to treat with the practical everyday issues of life, particularly as it applies to your spiritual walk or journey. In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul gives instructions on how to live in order to please God, and in verses 10, 11 he says, “…we encourage you…to mind your own business…” (HCSB). 

Before now, did you know that Paul specifically said to mind your own business? Honestly, it came as a surprise to me.

When your behavior is not biblical you create an atmosphere of negativity, not only in our own life but also in the lives of others. The biblical concept is “to mind your own business”, therefore cultivating a habit of minding other people’s business will adversely affect your Christian walk. Keeping your nose out of others' lives leads to a quiet life, fosters good relations between yourself and your neighbour, and promotes brotherly love. 

If you’re a habitual snoop, the day you stop interfering and employ this lesson you’ll find a certain enjoyment of life that you’d never before experienced. That’s because you are relieved of the burden of nosiness. My friend it takes much time, effort and energy to be constantly meddling in everyone else’s affairs. 

Getting involved in things that do not concern you is an unnecessary distraction from your Christian walk that takes you away from those things that do. The time, effort and energy which you should expend on your own business are all wasted on another’s. Now, this doesn’t mean that there won’t be times when God requires you to get involved in assisting persons in one way or the other but it's an entirely different situation when your motive is just to satisfy your hunger for prying or to be in the know. Even if you’ve been told that you have a talent for it, know that God does not anoint anyone to pry, it is not a gift of the Spirit and you need to cut it out. 

When you make it your business to mind your own business you show respect to God, your fellowman, and you win the respect of others. 

Amen†

Mind Your Own Business    Shelley Johnson 08-Sep-16

Sight-Seeing Christians

“My word is not enough; you only believe when you see miraculous signs.” (John 4:48 VOICE)

This was Jesus’ response to “a certain official from the king’s court” whose son was on the brink of death. I wonder how many of us can relate to this statement? There are quite a number of Christians who are walking by sight and not by faith, living their lives professing belief and trust in God to anyone that would listen but in actual fact, when the time comes for them to act upon what they’re professing, unless they see a sign it’s difficult for them to truly take God at His Word. They just do not trust what He says. They are sign seeking, sight-seeing Christians – non-believing Believers who must see to believe and aren’t able to grasp the concept of exercising faith (James 2:14-26).

There are many oh-ye-of-little-faith Christians who depend solely on their sight for seeing. Possessing no vision, they are keenly unaware that they are perishing (Proverbs 29:18), and with hearts that follow their eyes, their belief is wrapped up in the gratification of their physical senses. Their trust is purely on the surface, making them surfers of the Word and not divers. Preferring to remain close to shore, never venturing into deep water, they read their bibles daily but never get past the words. 

Sight-seeing Christians can only walk in times of light, in the dark they’re completely lost, with no idea how to get around or where things are, even in a familiar place and so they become paralyzed with fear. Completely relying on their sight for seeing, they’ll cry out, “What sign then are You going to do so we may see and believe You?” (John 6:30 HCSB) but as Christians we are to walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and like that certain official we must take Jesus at His word (John 4:50). Christians need to remember always that God cannot lie and He does not change His mind, whatever He says He will do He’ll do and whatever He has promised will be fulfilled (Numbers 23:19).

If you are a sight-seeing Christian, know that a Christian’s mark of authenticity is believing before seeing, which denotes genuine faith in God, which is the assurance of things you have not yet physically seen.

If you are a sight-seeing Christian, Jesus is saying to you today, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” (John 20:29 MSG)

Amen†

Sight-Seeing Christians    Shelley Johnson 07-Sep-16

Son-ship

A person can enjoy many wonderful privileges as a born again believer but too many Christians do not understand their birthright and therefore never experience the freedom of their true heritage. Like Esau, they show contempt for their birthright and end up exchanging their due inheritance for sod pottage (see Genesis 25:29). In earnestly seeking to satisfy their fleshly appetites they ruin every spiritual privilege that has already been provided for them through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. 

One such privilege is son-ship. Son-ship includes the right to be called a son of God, not by our own admission but by God, the Father. He conveys this title, with its undeniably great rewards, upon every believer who chooses to “cast out the bondwoman and her son” (see Galatians 4:30) in order that the son of the promised inheritance may be established. Please understand that, in this regard, “son” has no bearing on gender. As Apostle Paul explains in Galatians 3:28 (MSG), “In Christ’s family there can be no division into…male and female…”

True authentic sons are born not by flesh but are born again from above by the powerful work within of the Holy Spirit of God. It is a spiritual rebirth which occurs when first, you believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be and would do what He said He would (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26), then you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you out of a life of bondage and into the joyous liberty of son-ship. 

“All who follow the leading of God’s Spirit are God’s own sons.” (Romans 8:14 Phillips)

Scripture makes it clear that apart from the Holy Spirit, there’s no son-ship. He alone empowers every believer to become a son of God by adoption, and so a fellow heir with Christ Jesus. He alone bears witness with your own spirit to your son-ship and makes known to you who you really are – heir to an unbelievable inheritance as a child of the Living God (Romans 8:15-17).

“…God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6 NLT)

Outward forms of expression can neither produce sons of God nor secure the blessings that son-ship affords, it’s entirely an internal process where you must die to self and sin, arise into a new life, and become a member of God’s family. 

“For you have become a part of Him, and so you died with Him, so to speak, when He died; and now you share His new life and shall rise as He did.” (Romans 6:5 TLB)

Through this process of divine renewal your spirit grows full with that sense of son-ship, where you recognize Christ as your older brother, God your Abba, Father and Spirit your teacher, guide and counsellor. You are a son, well provided for, with complete access to an incomparable inheritance – the very best of everything that God your Father has for you in this life and the life hereafter. 

Son-ship is your journey into freedom – free to be your authentic self, unbound by the burden of sin and shame, free to experience your rightful heritage and to confidently claim your birthright. 

Amen†

Son-ship    Shelley Johnson 06-Sep-16

Trust, Delight, Commit, and Wait

According to Psalm 37 verse 4, there’s a way for each one of us to see our desires fulfilled, we have to delight ourselves in the Lord. But before that can happen there are three other steps that we must take that will ensure that we receive the desires of our hearts. 

God is a God of order, He never does anything haphazardly. The account of Creation is a prime example of the orderly way in which God carries out His tasks. God’s way is a step by step process that cannot fail and it will serve you well to follow His sequence. Skipping steps is foolhardy at best.

When God gives you a promise there are four crucial steps that you must follow if you are to experience the fulfillment of your desires. Each step in this sequence, found in verses 3, 4, 5, and 7 of Psalm 37, has a name and can be applied to every area of your life. 

• The first step is Trust. 

Trust in God, rely on Him, take refuge in Him, submit to Him, and be confident that what He says He will do, He will certainly do. It’s trusting God wholeheartedly, giving Him full control of every situation in your life and allowing Him to have His way. Placing your trust in neighbours, friends, family, or even yourself, is likely to result in failure but God will never fail you, for He is faithful and does not change.

• The second is Delight. 

Delight yourself in God. You do that by keeping close company with God so that you get to know Him intimately and savour His ways. It’s allowing your will to be aligned to His so that He becomes all in all in your life, causing you to earnestly and passionately seek Him first and eagerly give up your heavy-laden labour to Him. When you delight yourself in God, you see Him and embrace Him as your Abba, Father.

• The next step is Commit. 

Commit everything to God – your walk, your cause, your ways, your vision, your goals, your intentions, your plans, your family, and your entire life. It’s relinquishing your control of every single situation and circumstance that concerns you, good and bad, and allowing God to take over completely. It’s taking your hands off of your life, and placing it squarely in His in utter dependence on Him. When you commit in this manner, God promises to act on your behalf to bring about the desires of your heart which are no longer outside of His will for you. God can now be God in your life, for your good and His glory.

• The last in this list is Wait.

To wait patiently for God is seldom an act of passive patience. It’s actively and expectantly waiting on God’s perfect timing. God is never late…everything God says will happen will surely be fulfilled. Waiting on God means to not give up but to remain steadfast in your trust in Him, daily delighting yourself in Him, and resolutely committing all to Him. It’s having a steady belief in God despite what appears to be a delay. When you’re waiting on God take courage and do not get frustrated or weary but instead consistently thank Him as you keep in mind that there’s an appointed time for every matter under heaven. Be patient in your waiting and God promises to be good to you.

Beloved, if you follow these steps as ordered by God, His perfect will for your life is guaranteed to come to pass because your heartfelt desires will align with God’s desires for you, and when they do, He will establish your very thoughts, then blessings will follow in ways beyond your imagination.

Amen†

Trust, Delight, Commit, and Wait    Shelley Johnson 04-Sep-16

Something to think about: “Supplication”

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

“Supplication”…what does it mean? I got the same definition everywhere I looked, “asking or begging for something earnestly”; “to plead humbly”; “to beg” but somehow I felt there was more to it than that, like when you just know that something is missing. Over the years I’ve learnt that we need not beg God for anything, the asking I could relate to since Jesus Himself told us, “Ask, and it will be given to you…For everyone who asks receives” (Matthew 7:7,8 ESV). It was definitely something to think about, and think about it I did. I was not about to let this one rest, I knew there was more to it than what these dictionaries were offering me.

“Supplication”…what does it really mean? Throwing out the “begging” and the “pleading” we’re left with “asking for something earnestly, humbly”. Earnestly speaks of being sincere and serious about your intention and purpose, while humbly is about making yourself “low”, not simply by physically bowing down but it’s more about your attitude, your behavior, your approach, and your spirit. Let’s search the Word for a better understanding…

Philippians 2:5,6,7 (ESV)

“Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God…emptied himself…”

1 Corinthians 15:28 (ESV)

“the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all.”

Matthew 26:39 (ESV)

And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.

Jesus “emptied Himself”, was “subjected” to God so that “God may be all in all”, and “He fell on His face” before God giving up His will to the will of the Father. And this is what I believe is the true meaning of supplication – to be in complete submission to God where, like Jesus, you can sincerely say to God “Your will be done”.

“Supplication” is about submitting to God’s plan for your life, His purpose, His guidance, and to be in obedience to God’s way. It’s when you subject yourself to God’s leading and direction. It’s surrendering your will to the will of God – His will supercedes. It’s decreasing and allowing God to increase. It’s being under God’s authority and control. 

“Supplication” requires humility because without it there can be no submitting, no obeying, no subjecting, no surrendering, no decreasing, and no coming under anyone’s authority and control, not even God’s. 

When you go to God in prayer with thanksgiving to make your requests known, keep in mind that God knows what’s best for you and as you bow yourself down before Him in supplication you are in fact positioning yourself to receive. Now that’s something to think about.

Something to think about: “Supplication”   Shelley Johnson 2-Sep-2016